The Hon. Asitha Niroshana Egoda Vithana

¶ 01 Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker.

¶ 02 We live in a country where people die from the largest animals on land as well as the smallest. In 2023, 180 of our people died due to elephant attacks, and 50 died of dengue caused by the tiny mosquito. Sadly, this is a country where people die in such unfortunate ways.

¶ 03 According to the Global Climate Risk Index, between 2000 and 2019, Sri Lanka ranked 23rd out of 184 countries most affected by extreme weather events. Natural disasters like floods and landslides are not questions without answers. Yet for decades, our people have suffered greatly without solutions. Annual losses due to natural hazards exceed USD 300 million. Therefore, Hon. Deputy Speaker, this is a major crisis and a serious problem. The Clean Sri Lanka programme has been formulated after examining all these conditions.

¶ 04 I saw very misleading claims made in this House previously. In particular, a Member from Badulla District stated that more than Rs. 7 million was spent on the launch of the Clean Sri Lanka programme. That is a false and baseless claim released into the public. In truth, only about Rs. 900,000 was committed for that inaugural event, and even that has not yet been fully paid. Therefore, we invite the Opposition Members to join this timely and important programme presented by the President for rebuilding the country.

¶ 05 Traditionally, when in Opposition, you have questioned the fraud and corruption in projects of other governments. But now, the National People’s Power is in office. From the President downwards, ministers and MPs have built their political lives on being against theft, fraud, and corruption. So, however much you zoom in and scrutinize, you will not find corruption in any ministry or special programme of this administration. Not because it’s hidden beyond your reach, but because this movement was founded against such wrongdoing. Therefore, we ask the Opposition Members: instead of the conventional practice of opposing such programmes, contribute to this historic task entrusted to all of us in this Parliament.

¶ 06 All of us here are representatives of the people—elected by 22 million Sri Lankans to this Tenth Parliament—and we must rise to the greatest responsibility before us: to change the lives of our people. Rather than spreading falsehoods in this House by nitpicking and zooming in for scraps, we invite you to extend your support to this significant and sensitive programme.

¶ 07 This programme includes avenues for contributions from any citizen, any private company, any state institution, any volunteer organization, any Sri Lankan living abroad, any person with expert knowledge, and even individuals. Both a dollar account and a rupee account have been opened for contributions. Let us contribute to make this Tenth Parliament a historic one. With that placed before this House, I conclude. Thank you very much.